


Sinnoh Scandal

by HanaIchiIkari (RosyMiz)



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossdressing, Crown Prince Shinji | Paul, Emperor Reiji | Reggie, F/M, Japanese Human Names, Japanese-Influenced Setting, Protective Jun | Barry, Senpai-Kouhai Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-11-19 23:59:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11324430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosyMiz/pseuds/HanaIchiIkari
Summary: Hikari deciphers her father's notes and scrolls to reveal a message that the safety of the world is in danger. She joins Cresselia in secretly infiltrating Royal Veilstone Academy, the royal academy for students training to become shinobi, to find the seal hidden by her father. She chooses to enroll as a male student for the most freedom in research and movement, searching for the seal. But Hikari realizes the difficulty of the infiltration, because she must live with other students in the academy... all without getting caught.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This fanfic uses Japanese human names, as this story is in a Japanese-influenced setting. But for minimal confusion, I have written all Pokemon, region, and village names in English. I do apologize for the inconvenience. For a longer explanation, please see the end notes :)

This was a world where creatures called Pokémon co-exist with the humans in peace. There were Pokémon that lived in the forest, the villages, the ocean, the sky, the ground, and the mountains. Everywhere. The Pokémon were ruled by their creator, Arceus, who watched over the world with wonder and awe of his creation. He scattered Pokémon all over the world to see the interactions and lifestyles between humans and Pokémon. Pokémon and humans had lived in harmony throughout the lands.

Since ancient times, humankind and Pokémon have become able to bond through a covenant. The Pokémon, in turn, would become the human’s companion until the human’s death. The human would be given immense power that normal humans wouldn’t have. However, with great power came great responsibility.

This power eventually led to bloodshed of both humans and Pokémon because of fear, envy, greed, and revenge. And one country among others stood out to Arceus most of all. It was a country of four regions: Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. Each region had a clan of nobles ruling over the villages within. All four regions had equal power in order to prevent an imbalance between them and their alliance.

The human civilization of this country developed into a society of shinobi, people who were trained in martial arts and stealth for missions ranging from espionage to assassination. Shinobi academies were created throughout each region. There was at least one or two in each major village. Each region kept to its own regarding interregional affairs. No one dared to create tension between the regions.

The most powerful noble of Sinnoh created the world’s largest shinobi academy in Veilstone Village that invited many other shinobi and masters everywhere. Young men from all four regions enrolled in the academy. With the interaction and encounters they went through, they learned to make peace with each other and learn the culture and traditions of others.

With this bold step, the regions seemed to be on better and more peaceful terms with each other. The peace lasted for several generations. In fact, all seemed well!

However, that was never the truth between the nobles themselves. Bit by bit, the clans’ desires for money, for land, and for power was increasing. There were occasional arguments and even political conflict between regions. It wasn’t until the head noble of Kanto was murdered that a nationwide war for power broke out, resulting in the murder of several nobles and innocent villagers in the country. But in the middle of the war, a terrifying beast among Arceus’ creations emerged from another dimension in rage. It terrorized everyone with no regard for who was who. The beast’s power was far too strong for even the most skilled shinobi to put a dent in its strength. It caused much damage to the country, unable to snap out of its anger.

Having seen what his own creation has done to the harmony of humankind and Pokémon, Arceus decided to put a stop to it and descended into the world. He created a covenant with the head noble of Sinnoh with the consequence of sacrificing the noble’s life in order to end this war.

The noble gladly complied, even if it meant his own death, as long as the regions can live in peace once again. But the life of one individual was not enough to seal the beast. His wife, a woman of grace and influence, stepped up to offer her life too. But even then, that was not enough. Soon, the noble’s aide offered his hand in stopping the war, for he contained a power almost equal to that of the beast’s. The aide’s help was more than enough to put a stop to this endless bloodshed. The trio’s sacrifice finally put an end to the chaos by banishing the beast within the dimension it came from. The seal to the dimension was kept in a scroll, wrapped with talismans to prevent anyone from opening it. This scroll was soon to be called the Distortion Seal, in honor of the noble and his wife’s sacrifice.

Having spent their life energy into sealing the beast, the noble and his wife passed away in peace in the arms of their aide. The aide, however, was greatly weakened by the excessive use of his power and hid the sealed scroll and traveled to a far-off village to recuperate. He was never to be seen again.

As per the noble’s request, Arceus formed a covenant with the noble’s eighteen-year-old son, Reiji (Reggie), once he was of age to inherit his father’s title. Thus, this made Sinnoh one of the most powerful regions. This power became well-known and spread across the country, bringing hundreds of nobles, merchants, and villagers to pay their respects to the late heroes and their remaining family. The nobles had agreed to unify the power of the regions into Sinnoh, beseeching Reiji to become the emperor of the country. Reiji was the most fit, as he was of age and known for his kindness and assurance. What better person was there to govern the power of other nobles and help settle political conflicts?

At first, Reiji refused to take the title of emperor to honor his father and mother and their desire to stop the hunger for power, to bring peace to the world once again. For if there was a much higher power, other would try to overthrow that figure to take that power for their own. Knowing this, Reiji decided to remain the head noble and attempted to work the way it was.

In short time, Prince Reiji realized that, despite the war having ended, there were still deep roots of hatred among the people. There were cases of murder that occasionally came up in the reports. Reiji didn’t want to let another war – be it civil or nationwide – occur because of the grudge and hatred of others. He remembered the other nobles telling him to become the emperor for the sake of giving the people a role model. Their words weighed heavier on his mind with every murder occurring in Sinnoh.

With the support of his younger brother, Reiji accepted to become emperor. It took several years to mend ties with other nobles, properly settle remaining conflicts, and bring peace to the villagers. Reiji was successful in the end due to his effort and diligence. Peace was brought to the country once more.

In an attempt to further extend this peace, Reiji reformed shinobi academies across the country to dedicate teaching not only the training of the physical body and mental mind but also the history of the world and Pokémon. When a human turned eighteen, they would be chosen by a Pokémon that shares a bond with them to form a covenant with. They were free to refuse or accept. If refused, they would be allowed to keep the Pokémon as a companion, if the Pokémon wished so. If accepted, they were required to study at an academy for four years. Qualified men were able to enroll in the Royal Veilstone Academy as trainees, while qualified women were able to enroll as medic students.

Within the next five years, shinobi from every region came to enroll in the academy. In the beginning, there was a stiff and cold atmosphere among the students and teachers. The teachers probably have not seen each other since the war, and surely the students were told stories by their parents of what happened.

But this was what Reiji had planned. This meant people from different parts of the country would interact with each other once more and understand each other’s perspectives. Over time, the teachers and students became comfortable with each other and eventually interacted without a barrier between them. It marked a new era of peace, all thanks to Reiji and his determination to recreate the peace his parents wished for.

Reiji wasn’t alone though. He had Arceus, his younger brother, Crown Prince Shinji (Paul), and other support from different regions who assisted him in making this happen.

Many commonly formed a covenant with Pokémon they saw frequently. However, there were confirmed rumors of a few who were able to form a covenant with a being similar to Arceus, a legendary Pokémon. Most of them were sons of nobles from Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn, including Reiji’s little brother, Shinji. These people were chosen by the legendary Pokémon for their qualities to be a great leader and lead their country together. Those people studied in the royal academy as qualified students and representatives of their region.

 

But one day, Arceus had a dream—no, a vision—of a future covered in darkness. Something about that future felt dreadful… _ominous_. It was a future Arceus did not expect. There was only one who could recreate such a future, and it was the beast that terrorized this country during the war. But that meant the beast was released somehow. Did the aide not abide by his duty to hide the Distortion Seal? No, he believed the aide would hide it in a place no one can get to. But that would have meant someone either found the seal or found a different method of bringing the beast back.

He found it difficult to believe, but it was still a vision. But something stood out from the darkness. A golden light chased away the dark skies in one burst. In the center of that light, a figure in elegant clothing of gold, blue, and pink stood in mid-air. The figure almost seemed… familiar to Arceus. From this vision, one thing was certain. There was only one Pokémon with a power to chase away darkness like the sun would. The colors of the figure’s clothing made it even more certain.

Arceus was the creator of all Pokémon. That day, he realized even he had new things to learn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sinnoh Scandal was once known as Tobari Shinobi: Shinou Scandal, a fanfic written by my twin, back in 2010, when we were HanaIchi Ikari in FF.net. Unfortunately, he has recently cut ties with my parents due to a hurtful situation. He is no longer interested in continuing this fanfic, so he left it up to me to rewrite it. I do apologize to the original readers of TSSS that Ichi/J is no longer with us for this fanfic. But I assure you that he is doing much better and is in a happier place.
> 
> As for the use of Japanese human names, this story make use of Japanese suffixes such as '-senpai', '-sensei', and etc., as much of this story is based on Japanese culture. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh are based on Japan's main islands, hence the use of Japanese culture. I did not find it appropriate to use English human names while attaching Japanese suffixes, UNLESS they were actually foreigners. I also did not find it appropriate to use names such as "Upperclassman Paul", because it took away the charm of the culture. 
> 
> Otherwise, I will do my best to keep a minimal amount of suffixes to not overwhelm the readers. Thank you very much for reading! <3


	2. Hikaru Cresselia

_“Something’s bothering you.”_

_“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”_

_“You tend to brood and get quiet whenever something is on your mind.”_ A flicker of black swayed in the air.

_“Since when were you so concerned about me?”_ A trail of golden dust scattered around as the voice replied flatly.

_“First of all,”_ the figure in black spread its arms and looked around their environment, _“we’re the gatekeepers of the dream world.”_ The figure huffed as it swung its arms down. _“Second of all, you and I have been made to—”_

_“Yes, yes, I know. It was a rhetorical question, Darkrai.”_

_“I insist that you let me finish, Cresselia,”_ Darkrai interrupted. _“You and I have been made to maintain the dream world of, well, all Pokémon_ and _humans. In other words, we have no choice but to be stuck with each other until the end of the world.”_ He then crossed arms and rolled his eyes. _“Obviously, if you falter in your duties, we would_ both _suffer,”_ he added with a listless gesture of his claw.

Cresselia fell silent, staring at Darkrai with deadpanned eyes. _“If we’re playing this game, I can too. You bring up that ‘we are stuck with each other’ argument when you get concerned about me.”_ She shot him a knowing look when Darkrai didn’t respond back to her comment. _“Mmm, I thought so. Why are you suddenly so worried?”_

_“What are you thinking about, then?”_

The two stared at each other for a brief moment, not wanting to lose this battle out of stubbornness. But it was clear they weren’t getting anywhere with this conversation. Cresselia decided to break it first.

_“Fine. The truth is, there is a child I’ve been wanting to bond with for a while now. Recently came of age, too, just last week.”_

Darkrai squinted in suspicion. _“I don’t think I have ever seen you close to being interested in any human, until now. Why the sudden change of mind?”_

_“… Because I see potential in this child. Whenever I peer into their dreams, something tells me they can change something.”_ Cresselia closed her eyes, thinking of the dreams of this child. _“They were already born from a great figure, and something keeps telling me that it’s fate to create that covenant with them.”_ She opened her eyes, glancing at Darkrai, who was listening to her intently. _“Call me stupid, but I believe this child is who I’m looking for.”_

After minutes of silence, Darkrai nodded. _“I wouldn’t call you stupid unless you were being reckless. It sounds as if you’ve thought about it for years, based on what you’re telling me.”_ He sighed. _“And as much as I hate to admit it, you have good intuition. Most of the time.”_

_“Why yes I do,”_ Cresselia sang, her wings fluttering in pride. But that feeling was short-lived and soon replaced with doubt. _“I say I believe this child is who I’m looking for, but… I’m not sure if I’m the one the child is looking for.”_ She looked at Darkrai with uncertainty in her eyes. _“Didn’t you meet your partner when he was much younger? How did you even know you were right for each other?”_

_“To be frank, we didn’t. Our covenant was not achieved through ordinary means. I’ve told you this story before, haven’t I?”_

Cresselia nodded in understanding. _“Yes, I do remember. But did you two eventually believe that you were right for each other?”_

_“I suppose so, yes. In your words, I would even call our covenant ‘destined’ to be.”_ He ignored the smug look Cresselia was giving him from using her own words to describe his covenant. _“Will you be going tonight? Do you want me to go with you?”_

_“I’ll be okay. I’m sure you need to get back to your partner very soon. It’s almost morning.”_ She let out a breath. _“Okay. I need to get going. I’ll get back to you whenever I can.”_ She then bumped foreheads with Darkrai. _“See you soon, Darky.”_ After opening a portal to the child’s dream, Cresselia stepped through and disappeared in an instant.

Darkrai rubbed where Cresselia had bumped foreheads with him. _“Good luck.”_ He then opened a portal of his own and disappeared within it also.

 

* * *

 

This was no ordinary dream. There was nothing to see, nothing to feel. The entire world was a pale pink with golden dust sparkling within. Could this be?

A blue-haired girl stood in the middle of this world, looking for any sign of movement. She was pacing back and forth and around mindlessly. Waiting. Then, a golden portal appeared with Cresselia stepping out of it. The girl’s breath hitched when she took in the sight of a legendary Pokémon. “Y-you’re…”

_“Hello, Hikari (Dawn). My name is—”_

“Cresselia!” the girl shouted over her. “Oh my gosh, you’re THE Cresselia!” She clasped her hands on her head in disbelief. “Tell me I’m dreaming, this is actually happening!”

Cresselia chuckled at Hikari’s excitement. _“It certainly sounds like you weren’t expecting me.”_

“Are you kidding? Of course not!” Her eyes suddenly widened, and the girl immediately turned away from Cresselia. “W-wait, does my hair look okay? Do I look perfect for this?!”

_“Your hair looks just fine, dear.”_ Cresselia took a deep breath. _“So, I wanted to discuss an important matter with you. I’m sure you already know what my appearance means.”_

Embarrassed, Hikari turned back to Cresselia to give her full attention. “Y-yes, what is it?”

As Cresselia approached Hikari, different visions of Hikari’s memories appeared around them. _“You see, I have been watching over you for a long time. In fact, I’ve been watching over you, specifically, ever since you started going through your father’s study and looking through his scrolls and notes.”_ She then brought a recent memory closer to them. _“I believe you have found what your father has hidden, am I correct?”_

In the memory, Hikari sat on the floor of her father’s study, surrounded by scrolls and maps that she has gathered and marked. She was intently reading a scroll left behind by her father, deciphering a message he wrote about the war he fought in. After many years of studying, she finally figured out the message: the world was going to be in danger once more. Her father had hidden the seal that kept the beast, Giratina, in the dimension it came from, but he was afraid that something will happen that would release Giratina from its chains. Should that happen, backup seals had been written in the scroll for future use. She also managed to decipher the location of the scroll, but it was all the way in Veilstone Village.

Hikari confirmed Cresselia’s question with a nod. “Yes. Just before this, I was even making a plan to find that scroll.” She paused, twiddling with her thumbs. “But it’s a rather unorthodox method…”

_“Let’s hear it. If I can be of help, I would gladly assist you in your plan.”_

“Well,” she started, scratching the back of her head, “I was thinking of infiltrating the Royal Veilstone Academy as a… student.” She let out a breath. “I’m sure you’ve figured it out at this point, but doing so would require me to pass as a man to enroll in the academy. With my father’s credentials and my studies, I am confident that they would accept me. All I need to do is show them proof of my skills.”

Cresselia took a moment to ponder Hikari’s plan. It was risky, and getting caught would result in a death penalty. But she wondered why Hikari was insistent on enrolling as a trainee. _“Is enrolling as a medic student not sufficient for you?”_

“Sadly, not at all. I’ve actually done my research on the royal academy, and I found out from a friend that the medic students have limited access to several buildings in the academy.” She combed through her hair with her fingers. “If I enroll as a trainee, there’s potential to search more efficiently without being suspected.” She kept on a smile as she looked at Cresselia. “Despite this, are you still willing to help me as my partner?”

_“It would be my pleasure,”_ Cresselia replied. _“I believe I can help you even better as a legendary Pokémon myself. It would put you at a higher priority to have you enrolled in the academy too.”_

Hikari clasped her hands together in joy. “Thank you! Thank you so much, Cresselia! It’s an honor to be in a covenant with you, and I cannot thank you enough for going so far as to help me with my mission.”

Bowing her head, Cresselia smiled. _“And it’s an honor to create a covenant with the daughter of the Voice of the Forest.”_ She cleared her throat. _“Now then, let us create that covenant, shall we? Please step closer to me, so I can recite the spell to initiate the process.”_

Once Cresselia and Hikari were one step apart, they pressed foreheads as Cresselia started the incantation. Golden dust picked up from the ground and scattered around them in a gentle whirlwind as seals appeared on the ground, attaching themselves to Hikari’s skin and concentrating to a spot on her forehead. A blinding light engulfed them after the last words of Cresselia’s incantation. Then, there was nothing but darkness.

 

_“Hikari! Hikari!”_

Hikari heard someone calling her name in her sleep. It was a voice she never heard before. Her eyes fluttered open, seeing a familiar blue Pokémon before her. “… Piplup…?”

Piplup was a Pokémon she befriended when she was a child. She had saved him from getting attacked by a cluster of Ariados when he was stuck in their web. Grateful to Hikari for saving his life, he stuck by her side since that day. They were almost inseparable and the best of friends.

_“Did you just create a covenant with a Pokémon?!”_ Piplup shrieked at her.

Jaw hanging open in shock, Hikari screamed. She sent Piplup tumbling across her room as she tried scrambling away from Piplup. “HE TALKED?!” Her eyes then caught sight of the pink gloves on her hands. “What the…”

Piplup groaned in pain as he shook off the shock of getting thrown off the bed. _“I’ve been able to talk, but you didn’t understand our language until now. But that’s not the point!”_ He stomped over to Hikari and hopped onto her legs. _“Who is it?! Who’s the one you formed a covenant with?”_

A pink orb floated out of Hikari’s forehead and settled on the floor beside her bed. Her new clothing changed back to her pajamas, and the pink orb got bigger to reveal Cresselia. _“That would be me.”_

_“You…! You’re…!”_ Piplup’s beak hung open. _“A_ legendary Pokémon?! _Are you trying to get Hikari killed?!”_ Piplup shook his flippers furiously at Hikari. _“I told you that your plan was a bad idea! Are you serious about carrying out that ‘mission’ your dad supposedly gave you?!”_

Hikari exchanged looks with Cresselia before lowering her head. “I’m sorry, Piplup. But this is for the sake of the world. This country can’t risk Giratina breaking out of their dimension again.” She rubbed Piplup’s head in consolation. “Piplup, you know how important this is to both the human world and Pokémon. If papa says it’s up to me to find that seal, then I must.”

_“You can’t be serious… What am I going to do while you’re away? What am I going to do if you’re found out? What am I going to do if you’re_ killed _?”_ Piplup sat by Hikari in defeat. _“Do you think your mom would approve of this? She’s the only one you haven’t told about your plan!”_ He held a flipper to his head in thought. _“Not to mention, there’s no one else to take care of your mom. You know your mom’s health has been deteriorating recently.”_

“That’s why I want to leave mama to you, Piplup.” She picked him up into her arms and smiled. “If you weren’t here, I don’t think I would’ve managed everything on my own. Plus, you take care of my mom very well, don’t you think?” Hikari gave him a wink. “Mama always told me that you have the flippers of a Chansey with your dedication.”

Piplup stuck his beak in the air. _“Well, of course! I always made sure your mom took her medicine and ate her meals properly. Glameow and I might fight over who delivers her medicine, sure, but at least we both know how to take care of her.”_

_“Please understand that this is to save the world. To do so, Hikari must go to Veilstone Village.”_

“Being a medic will put limits on my search. That’s why I have no choice but to apply as a male trainee, Piplup.” Hikari grabbed Piplup’s flippers and gave them a squeeze. “I trust you can take care of mama in my stead.”

There was still hesitance from Piplup, but he nodded. _“You know what, leave it to me!”_ he said, pounding a flipper to his chest. _“If you two are gonna save the world, then I’ll be here to make sure your mom gets to safety first. But I want to hear from you every now and then! Deal?”_ He extended out a flipper to Hikari.

“Deal! You’re the best, Piplup!” Hikari high-fived Piplup in agreement. She then turned to Cresselia. “I think an introduction to mama is in order. I’m not sure how she’s going to take the news, though.”

_“What must be done must be done. I’m ready when you are, Hikari.”_

“Great.” Hikari brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and stared out the window. “Because I’m gonna need some time to get my explanation together.”

 

 

Her mother, Aikawa Ayako (Johanna), was preparing for the opening of her shop. It was a place for people to relax while having her handmade snacks or tea. It was well-known throughout Twinleaf Village and neighboring villages, and travelers frequently stopped by once they caught wind of it. Ayako was about to go upstairs to get Hikari, but Hikari was faster. Hikari was waiting by the door in her Cresselia form. “Hi… kari…?” Ayako covered her mouth with her hand. “You formed a covenant?”

Hikari was wearing a sky blue outfit with a golden sash on her waist. A thin collar with a gold crescent pendant wrapped around her neck. She was also wearing pink gloves with two translucent sashes connecting from the hem of her gloves to her back. If one looked at her from behind, the tips of her hair were now golden. “Mama… There’s something I need to explain to you. It’s something I’ve been doing behind your back for years now, and it’s important that you know about it now.”

Ayako raised a hand to stop Hikari. “I am your mother. I’ve already known from the beginning that you have been sneaking into your father’s study and rummaging through his belongings.” She sat down in a nearby chair and gestured to Hikari to sit down also. “I knew this day was going to come someday.” She folded her hands together, pursing her lips. “Before your father… passed away, he told me that he left a message that needed to be deciphered by none other than you.”

_“Th-then…!”_ Piplup gasped in shock.

“Does, does that mean you knew all this time?”

“Not everything.” Ayako shook her head. “Your father didn’t tell me what the message was, but he told me that it was up to you.” She remembered the times cracking open the door to her husband’s study to find her daughter on the floor, surrounded by scrolls and sheets of paper—a single candle her only source of light. Despite her desire to stop Hikari was deciphering her husband’s message, she knew it wasn’t wise to change the course of time. Her husband was the Voice of the Forest, a time traveler who had the power to see into the future. She had to turn a blind eye for the sake of her husband’s prophecy. “What was the message, Hikari?”

Cresselia appeared from Hikari’s forehead, changing Hikari’s outfit back to pajamas, and descended to the table. _“Mrs. Aikawa, your husband had seen a future where Giratina breaks from its seals and brings chaos to the country once again.”_

“And papa wanted me to find the scroll that contains those seals to use it in the future.” Hikari’s hand balled into a fist. “The world is going to be in danger, and I need to find that scroll to minimize the damage.”

_“I told her that this was the worst idea she could ever come up with!”_ Piplup exclaimed.

Hikari shushed Piplup, nudging him from the back. “Piplup, come on…”

Ayako reached across the table to hold Hikari’s hand. “Giratina’s going to come back? Are you certain? What do you have to do to find that scroll?” Her eyes begged Hikari to tell her everything she knows. “Is it going to be dangerous?” She saw Cresselia glance at Hikari to answer her. “Are you fully prepared to face the consequences if you fail?”

Failing this mission meant committing high treason. “I will be infiltrating Royal Veilstone Academy as a trainee to get a better chance of finding that scroll. That means I will have to enroll as the _son_ of Aikawa Katsumi.” She would deceive the royal academy into believing she was a man, and thus it was defying the orders of the emperor. Even if Emperor Reiji was a kind-hearted soul, if the council deemed her death fitting, not even His Majesty could stop it. Death was truly frightening to think about. “No need to worry, mama. I’ve been prepared for it for months now. I know I’ll succeed.” She was certain. She was confident that she could carry out this search for the scroll. She’s learned the basics of skills ranging from medicine to close-combat fighting, thanks to her father’s notes. Her enrollment was almost guaranteed.

“Is it absolutely necessary that you must enroll as a trainee?”

There was no immediate answer. It wasn’t absolutely necessary, but for the sake of searching through Veilstone Village thoroughly, Hikari had to. “Yes. I must.”

Her mother sighed in worry. Her daughter was going to risk her life to save the world, but once she set her mind on something, she couldn’t be stopped. “Alright.” Her mother reached out to hug Hikari tightly. “I’ll trust you, Hikari. You and…”

_“Cresselia, ma’am.”_

There was a delayed nod as Ayako processed who exactly Cresselia was. “You… are a legendary Pokémon. Goodness, I didn’t notice at all. It is an honor to have you as my daughter’s partner, Cresselia.” She finally cracked a sincere smile. “I have faith that you will keep my daughter safe.”

_“Of course. I vow to help your daughter succeed in her mission.”_

“Thank you, Cresselia.” Ayako turned back to Hikari. “What can I do to help?”

Immediately, Hikari’s hands brushed against her hair in response. “Please help me cut my hair, mama. I need it to be much shorter than it is now, and I don’t think I can do it on my own. I’ll also need to send a message to the royal academy that I would like to enroll as a trainee.”

Ayako brushed her fingers through Hikari’s long, silky hair. Her daughter had taken years to grow her hair as beautifully as it is now, down to her lower back. But to think she would end up cutting it all off… “Let’s get started then. We still have plenty of time before I open shop.” They walked back upstairs to get Hikari ready for a whole new life to come. Piplup and Cresselia followed behind them to offer their support.

 

* * *

 

Hikari had sent a message to the royal academy to apply for enrollment in the academy. Soon after, a reply came in the mail. In several days, a group of soldiers from the military was to come to Twinleaf Village with a list of surnames to call forth the applicants. Then, the troop would escort the group of applicants via teleportation to Veilstone Village, where applicants would be tested to see if they were fit to attend the academy. She gulped, realizing that her mission has finally begun. There was no turning back now.

_“You doing okay?”_ Piplup asked.

“Of course!” Hikari smiled confidently. “You wouldn’t believe how excited I feel right now!”

Piplup prayed to the skies for the sake of his sanity. _“I find it hard to believe that you’re excited about something that can get you killed. You know? High treason and all that?”_ He swung his flippers above his head in exasperation.

“It’s not high treason if I don’t get caught, duh.”

_“And if you do get caught?”_

“Which I won’t.”

_“That takes guts to say that without a beat.”_ Piplup rested his flippers on his hips. _“As expected of my Hikari. Only you would have so much confidence in yourself about something dangerous.”_ He turned to Cresselia, who was waiting patiently by Hikari’s shoulder. _“So, you say she should learn how to fly?”_

Cresselia nodded. _“Of the sort, yes. Truthfully, I myself do not know how Hikari’s wings work, because every covenant takes on a different appearance. Flying is not easy for a human to accomplish, but it’d be useful to Hikari in combat and as a method of escape, should the need arise.”_ She nudged Hikari’s hands up to the air to show the pink sashes on both sides. _“There are basically her wings, and she must learn to utilize them while fighting. But I’m sure skill will be something she will learn in the academy eventually. What I would like to focus on is her flying.”_ She then disappeared into Hikari, changing her back to her Cresselia form.

Hikari craned her neck slightly back to see how these “wings” looked like. From a normal view, it looked like sashes that dancers used. But with a bit of will and motivation, she was able to feel the wings flutter. “Hey, what would happen if someone tried to sever these sashes? Will I feel pain? Will I bleed too?”

_You wouldn’t bleed, since the wings are similar to clothing. But since it’s connected to your back, you will feel lots of pain and won’t be able to fly until the wings are healed,_ she explained. _Rest assured. The sashes aren’t as weak as fabric, and it would take a greater amount of force to sever them or even make a cut through it._ She chuckled at Hikari’s relief. _“You will be just fine. And Piplup, I would like to request your presence as support.”_

_“That’s what I do best! You can count on me!”_

_“Excellent! Shall we get started then?”_

Within three nights of training, Hikari managed to master flight using her wings. She had trouble staying in the air without suddenly falling. Thanks to Piplup’s insight on wings of flying-type Pokémon, Hikari and Cresselia realized that her wings never flapped. The purpose of her wings turned out to be like sails on a boat, to use the wind to maneuver her into a direction she wanted. Rather than flying, Hikari was actually levitating and learning to fly through the wind. Her lack of control caused her to panic, which hindered her levitation.

Now, she was able to fly around her village without staggering. However, levitating drained her energy the longer she stayed in the air, so she would take breaks every now and then. Cresselia and Piplup gave her their approval in her final test run.

 

 

Two days after, the military finally arrived to Twinleaf Village. One was being led by a man with blue hair alongside a more casually-dressed man with purple hair, both riding white horses with the royal bridles on them. A few villagers were watching from the sidelines but were soon urged to go back inside, unless they were family of the applicants. Hikari was peering from behind the door of her mother’s shop. She was in her Cresselia form and her hair cut into a short bob. Her skills were in optimal condition to guarantee an approval to enroll into the academy, but she couldn’t help but feel nervous.

_“Hikari!”_ Piplup called. _“You’ve been planning this for months! You can’t get cold feet now!”_ He nudged Hikari’s leg with his head. _“I know more than anyone else that you’ve worked your butt off to figure your dad’s message. If you can work that hard, you can definitely work harder to succeed in this mission! Right?”_

_That’s right, Hikari. Don’t forget that I’ll be doing everything I can to keep you safe. I won’t let you get caught,_ Cresselia also reassured.

Ayako gave Hikari a pat on the back. “Remember I’m on your side too. Are you ready?”

“Yeah. Thank you.” She slid the door open and stepped outside the shop with confidence. “Let’s go.”

Piplup and Ayako followed behind Hikari as she approached the village square. As she got closer, she noticed that two more people were standing in front of the military. Her eyes widened at the sight of her two childhood friends, Kengo (Kenny) and Yumomi (Leona), waiting for her. Even so, she kept a level head and continued forward until she was standing between them.

Yumomi was wearing a brown top with shorts and black leggings inside. A cape of brown fur with streaks of darker brown hung from her head down to the back of her knees. As for Kengo, he was wearing a mostly white outfit with purple stripes designed vertically over the torso along with purple-striped shoulder plates. The purple design even extended to his skin, as the marking showed from his neck to his cheeks. He also had noticeably large white wings on his back.

“Does this mean…?” Yumomi whispered.

Hikari gave a subtle nod. “I can’t turn back anymore. I must do this.”

“You realize how dangerous this is, right?” Kengo muttered. “But then again, you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t know.”

“I’m well aware. But I know I can succeed.”

“Just know that I’ll be keeping an eye on you to make sure you don’t screw anything up.” Leona glanced up at the blue-haired man, who was busy checking names on his list. Her eyes then moved to the purple-haired man, who suddenly stepped off his horse and approached Hikari’s mother. “Wait, wait, wait, hold up. Isn’t that…?”

Kengo’s eyes widened. “That’s… His Majesty, Emperor Reiji…”

Hikari felt her heart jump to her throat. The Emperor himself was present in this recruitment, and he was approaching her mother. In a panic, she turned around to see her mother react in surprise to the Emperor’s greeting. They were having a quiet conversation between themselves, her mother bowing her head occasionally. It didn’t seem like she was caught already. “No need to worry. I’m sure everything will turn out fine.”

“Alright, let’s get started. We’ve waited long enough.” The blue-haired man stepped off his horse and approached the trio. “I am Commander Saturn, and I have been chosen to escort the applicants of Twinleaf to Veilstone.” He then glanced at the Emperor still conversing with Hikari’s mother. “I’m sure you’ve all guessed, but yes, His Majesty had decided to grace us with his presence. I heard,” he paused as his eyes landed on Hikari, “that he came after hearing the Voice of the Forest might have had a child.” Saturn glanced at this list. “Aikawa Katsumi, yes?”

“That is my father, Commander.”

“Yes… Do you have any proof that you are truly his descendant? Claiming to be the child of the war hero forces us to take it seriously, you see.”

“No need, Commander Saturn,” Reiji suddenly called out from behind Hikari. “I have already received all the proof I need from his wife.”

“Y-your Majesty, it’s an honor to have you visit our small village just for us applicants,” Yumomi said as all three turned around and deeply bowed to Reiji. “We are sincerely grateful you have graced us with your presence.”

“Thank you for your kind words. I must say that your village is quite beautiful with such lush open fields.” He placed a hand on Hikari’s shoulder. “Getting back to the topic at hand, this is the son of Aikawa Katsumi, my parents’ aide from the war. His name is Aikawa Hikaru.”

Kengo and Yumomi exchanged confused looks and stared at Hikari. “Son…?” they mouthed.

Hikari pursed her lips and subtly shook her head, begging them not to bring it up. “I’ll explain later,” she mouthed back. The three raised their heads with a smile.

Saturn cleared his throat. “Let us start with the attendance first. Aikawa?”

“Present, sir!”

“Koizumi?”

“Present, sir!” Yumomi declared.

“Shinobu?” His eyes quickly darted to Kengo’s appearance.

“Present, sir!” Kengo followed suit.

“That’s everyone for this village, Your Majesty,” Saturn said. “Shall we go back to Veilstone Village now?”

Reiji hopped onto his horse. “Yes, we should. Now that we’ve gotten all the applicants from all regions, we will have to prepare for the trials. Let us go, Arceus.” From beside him, an orb of light grew bigger into a six-foot tall Arceus. Hikari, Kengo, and Yumomi’s jaws dropped at the sight of _the_ creator of Pokémon standing before them. Reiji and Arceus chuckled at their reaction. “It’s not everyday they get to see an emperor and a god next to each other, after all.”

_“Indeed,”_ Arceus agreed. _“Children, we will be transporting you to Veilstone Village using a portal. I would advise that you hold hands so no one gets lost. It will be a very quick trip.”_ Making sure everyone was close to each other, Arceus stood next to Reiji and Yumomi. _“Grab on and hold tight.”_

Yumomi grabbed the gold cross-like armor protruding from Arceus’ body and made a noise in the back of her throat.

Suddenly, the group felt a powerful pull as their surroundings changed into a blur of colors. In an instant, they were suddenly standing on the soil of Royal Veilstone Academy. The three let out a breath, letting go of each other’s hands.

“This moment is going to be forever seared into my brain until the end of time itself,” Yumomi said.

Hikari raised her eyebrows and grinned in agreement. “You have no idea how honored I feel that I get to see both His Majesty AND the god of Pokémon so close.”

“You two are making such a big deal out of this, it’s almost embarrassing,” Kengo teased.

“Please, as if you’re not just as excited. I felt your hand sweating, you know,” Hikari teased back.

“N-no, I wasn’t…” Kengo wiped his hand on his clothing anyways. He then looked up and fell silent. “Whoa…”

“Welcome to Royal Veilstone Academy.” Reiji extended out a hand to show them the campus. The academy was vast with a garden, spacious training grounds, and beautifully designed buildings similar to that of shrines. However, there were walls around the academy, as if to block the outside. Reiji had noticed Hikari’s attention on the wall. “Ah, the wall. The academy is for students and faculty only, and it’s also to hinder any possible spies or outsiders. The military strictly isn’t allowed in this academy to prevent favoritism of students.” He turned to Saturn. “Thank you, Commander. You are dismissed.”

Saturn bowed to Reiji. “A pleasure to be of service, Your Majesty.” He directed his attention to the three from Twinleaf Village, once again glancing at Kengo specfically. “I wish you three good luck in getting accepted. I will be taking my leave.” He guided his group of soldiers out the large gates and disappeared beyond the walls.

“What was that about?” she mouthed to Kengo. He shrugged in response, not knowing why he was getting so many glances from the Commander. “So, when will our trials take place?” she asked.

“In a few hours,” Reiji replied. “I will be the one running the trials this time, since Doctor Takeshi (Brock) seems to have his hands full with new applicants this year. Speaking of Doctor Takeshi, Koizumi-san can follow the stone path of that garden on your left to the medic building to take her exam.” He gave Yumomi’s shoulder a pat and turned to Hikari and Kengo. “Shinobu-san can head on straight till you see the training grounds. I believe there are applicants who might be practicing.”

Kengo’s eyes darted to Hikari. “What about, uh, Hikaru, Your Majesty?”

“Ah, yes. I would like to have a talk with Aikawa-san first before I send him off to the trial.”

“No need to worry. Go on, Kengo,” Hikari reassured. “I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”

“Uh… yeah… See ya.” Kengo reluctantly bowed and walked off, his eyes lingering on Hikari for a bit before turning away.

Hikari fell into an awkward silence. She didn’t know what else to say to the Emperor! Even if she did, it would only be small talk! Her heart was beating so loudly against her chest, she was sure the Emperor must have heard it. _Cresselia, what do I do?_ She glanced up at Reiji, who was having a quiet talk with Arceus. _I have no idea what His Majesty wants to talk to me about, but this is so nerve-wracking, help me,_ she thought.

_I’m sorry, but I have no idea how to deal with this situation either,_ Cresselia regretfully said. _Just ask what he wanted to talk about and make your decision from there._

“Y-your Majesty?” Hikari tried to call for his attention first. “You… wanted to talk to me?”

“Oh! My apologies, Arceus brought up something I needed to confirm.” He looked around and spotted an empty garden on the other side of the campus. “I would like to speak with you privately over there, so we won’t get interrupted.” He had her follow him to the farthest point of the garden, which had more foliage to cover them from peering eyes. “I wanted to talk to you about a few things, including your enrollment here.”

“Am, am I not allowed to? But, pap—I mean, my father—”

“Whoa, it’s okay, it’s okay. I’m not saying you’re not allowed to enroll here.” He brought a finger under his lip in thought. “You see, you’re Aikawa-sama’s child, and that already gives you so many privileges being here. One of them is that it’s not necessary for you to take the trial, because your enrollment would be automatically approved. Being a child of a war hero is a big deal, I’m sure you’ve heard, and the council would more than gladly have you study in this academy. I wanted to know what you want to do.”

Hikari didn’t respond for a moment, not having expected to hear about her status as a war hero’s child. She had never thought about it before, because her village never treated her any differently from anyone else. Perhaps they’ve never even recognized her father this entire time. But hearing Reiji’s words made her think about how she would be treated here. Surely people would end up knowing about her lineage and regard her as the long-lost hero’s son. That would bring unwanted attention to her and pose more of a risk on getting caught.

“Aikawa-san?”

She immediately snapped out of her thoughts and scrambled to form a sentence. “I-I’m sorry, I never had to… think about it that way before, being my father’s… son and all.” If her enrollment would be automatically approved without attending the trial, she could keep a low profile. But if word got out about her immediate approval _and_ her lineage, it could put more attention on her. She had no choice. “Your Majesty, I appreciate that you would like to hear my opinion about this. Quite frankly, it’s unfair that I would get approval without displaying my skills,” she stated. “To enroll in this academy means I must prove myself suited to attend and study here. While I am confident in my skills, it’s best to know where I stand compared to others. I may be the… son of a hero, but that doesn’t mean I’m better than everyone else.”

Reiji grinned. “That’s a very impressive response, Aikawa-san. I’m happy to know that you think that way about your status. You are more than welcome to take your trial, of course, but like I said, I wanted to hear your opinion.” He shifted into a more relaxing position. “The next question I have might scare you, but Aikawa-sama had been keeping contact with me until his passing. He’s told me that he left a message for you, and he saw a vision that you would one day come here to this academy.”

Her father had told Reiji of this moment? Her blood suddenly ran cold. He couldn’t have told him it was his daughter, could he…?

“I sense you might know what I’m trying to ask,” Reiji started. “But I wanted to ask anyways. Is there a different reason for enrolling in this academy?” He noticed Hikari turning pale and smiled sympathetically. “I won’t get angry, I promise. Arceus and I have already prepared for any reason you might give us.”

_Should I tell him?_

_I’d say that’s the wisest choice,_ Cresselia answered.

“My purpose isn’t just enrolling in this academy as a trainee. I’m afraid there is also a different reason for my enrollment here.” Hikari grasped her hands tightly together to prevent them from shaking. Her heart was already beating loudly enough as it was. She didn’t need her hands betraying her too.

“I see.” Reiji sighed. “I won’t pressure you into telling me the message. I trust whatever Aikawa-sama has told you. Please feel free to reach out to me whenever you need assistance.”

In that moment, Hikari let out a shaky breath in relief. “Y-yes, I will make sure to do so, Your Majesty. I thank you for offering me your help, but I would like to carry out my purpose with a low profile as to not stir suspicion.”

“I understand. Then do let me know if there’s an emergency only I can handle.” This time, Reiji fell into an awkward silence. It was unnerving Hikari to the point she started staring at a Caterpie resting on a tree. “Ahem. This is the last thing I need to talk to you about, but this is more of a personal request.”

“A personal request?” Hikari repeated. “What is it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am seeing if I can try updating this story once a week. However, I do have personal projects to handle, so I can't guarantee a consistent schedule. But I will do my best!


	3. The Prince

Hikari was walking back to the training grounds to meet up with Kengo. He already lined up behind a sign that wrote “Twinleaf Village”. He spotted her and quickly gestured her to get behind him. She hurried over, a blank expression on her face.

“What’s wrong? Did something bad happen?” he asked. “What’s going on?”

“Slow down, Kengo. Please.” Hikari gave Kengo a pat on the shoulder. “Nothing bad happened. His Majesty had a few questions to ask me. But, uh, it’s a little hard to process a certain request he asked of me.”

“What request?”

“Alright, folks, the preliminary exam will take place!” A master with pink hair announced for everyone to line up behind their respective village signs. Once all the students were lined up, Reiji stepped up next to one of the instructors. “Our preliminary exams are usually held by Doctor Takeshi (Brock), but he has his hands full this year. That is why His Majesty will be hosting our exams today.”

All the students fell silent, some shuffling to see Reiji better.

“His Majesty’s overlooking our exam? Did you know about this?” Kengo asked.

“Yes…”

“Well, aren’t we the special bunch then… To be tested by His Majesty himself…”

“Thank you, Master Sumomo (Maylene),” Reiji said. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for applying to the Royal Tobari Academy. I am glad to see that many hold interest in learning the ways of a shinobi in this academy.” He paused, smiling at some of the nervous students. “No need to be nervous. I want you all to know that you’re more than qualified to be a shinobi just by having applied here. But if anyone here is having second thoughts before we continue, please feel free to step out and watch along the sidelines. No one here will think of you any less.” He paused once more to give students time to think.

Within a few minutes, a few students stepped out of their line and to the side, where other instructors and students were spectating.

“I don’t want you to feel discouraged. It takes a lot of courage to be able to assess your own skills and decide if you’re ready or not. For that, I commend you. You’re always more than welcome to apply here again if your skills have improved since then.” He turned back to the lines of students. “Now then, shall we begin?”

 

The first trial was hand-eye coordination. Everyone were to throw a basket of balls through several hoops in various heights and size. Both Hikari and Kengo were able to get them through most hoops.

The second trial was a series of stamina endurance and balance. They climbed ropes to the top of a wooden wall, back and forth sprinting, and held cups of tea on each palm, head, and one knee. While Hikari lacked the strength to climb the ropes, she did well on sprinting and balancing.

The third trial was hand-to-hand combat. Each applicant tested their combat skills against bamboo dummies controlled by the masters. Hikari was hit often, but any attack or counter she landed was precise.

The fourth trial was their knowledge. Each applicant was tested on their knowledge of first-aid, use of weapons, and history. Hikari was one of the first to finish. Academics were one of her strong points, after all.

The last trial was their application of their knowledge. Doctor Takeshi, once he was finished assessing his own applicants, came by to test their basic salves for effectiveness. While Hikari wasn’t trained in weaponry very well, her handmade medicines were effective without any ingredients left over.

By the time the trials were over, several applicants were watching in the sidelines. They either forfeited or were failed by the masters during the trials. So far, Hikari and Kengo had passed all the trials. All that was left was to get the certificate of admittance.

“With this, we shall end the preliminary exams! I would like all the applicants to line up in their respective village signs, the ones who haven’t failed the trials to be in the front.” Reiji then announced the applicants who have been admitted to the academy. Twinleaf Village was the last to be called. Reiji glanced at Hikari and Kengo and smiled. “Aikawa Hikaru and Shinobu Kengo has been admitted to the Royal Tobari Academy. Congratulations!”

“We did it!” Hikari quietly exclaimed.

“I can’t believe it… We really did it!” Kengo whispered. He slightly turned his head to Hikari. “But really, are you sure about doing this?”

“I’m sure. No need to worry.”

Kengo sighed. “That’s when I worry the most…”

Reiji had closed the preliminary exams for both shinobi applicants and medic applicants and allowed some time for other to talk. Yumomi rejoined Hikari and Kengo with a dejected look.

“You didn’t get in?!”

Yumomi shook her head. “No, I screwed up in the last trial. I mixed in the herbs and berries in the wrong order, so I ended up making an ineffective salve for a life-threatening injury…” She gave the two a smile. “Hey, I’ll be applying again next year after I study more, so maybe we’ll see each other here.” She turned to Hikari. “Hikari… you have to tell us what’s going on. Why are you impersonating a man?”

“You need to explain everything. You realize how risky this is going to be, don’t you?”

Hikari grabbed Kengo and Yumomi’s hands and gave them a squeeze. “You know that papa left me a mission… a key to saving the world from Giratina. And it’s somewhere here in Tobari Village. I had to apply as a man because this academy holds the resources and information that I need to search. If I applied as a medic, I wouldn’t have access to everything here.”

“If I knew you were going to apply as a student, I would’ve tried to stop you,” Yumomi muttered. “By the time His Majesty announced that you were Katsumi-sama’s son, I already knew it was too late.” She squeezed Hikari’s hand back. “Hikari, I have faith that you can succeed, but I’m still worried. We’ve been best friends since we were children. If you get caught and get executed, I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same again.”

“I promise, Yumomi, that I’ll come back safe and sound. I’ll make sure to keep you updated through letters, okay?”

“You better.” Yumomi sniffled and wiped a tear. “And send me souvenirs. Mostly snacks. You know I love the sweets they make here.”

“I will.”

“Kengo, you make sure Hikari is safe and doesn’t get herself into trouble. I’m relying on you.”

“Yeah, I’ll make sure she doesn’t get caught.” He then paused. “First, we need to make our partners swear this to secrecy. Now that we know, they know too.” He stepped back from them, scratching his head. “Try not to be too surprised, but I have a pretty incredible partner.”

A small, pink orb appeared in Kengo’s hands. It revealed a small-sized Palkia, the Spatial Pokémon known for their ability to warp space and control dimensions. _“Greetings.”_

Hikari and Yumomi’s jaws hung open.

“I was just as surprised… But this is my partner, Palkia. You two should bring yours out too, Yumomi. We need them to keep this a secret.”

“R-right.” Yumomi kept her arms open, and a Swinub fell into her arms. “This is my partner, Swinub.”

Without a word, Cresselia appeared on Hikari’s shoulder. _“Hello, Palkia. Swinub.”_

_“Cresselia, this is a dangerous game you’re playing,”_ Palkia warned. _“If Arceus finds out about this, he could destroy you for going against the laws he and His Majesty made.”_

_“W-will this be okay? I’m not sure if this is safe…”_ Swinub said.

_“I assure you, Palkia and Swinub, Hikari and I have prepared ourselves for the worst case scenario. We do not plan on getting caught.”_ Cresselia paused. _“But in the case we do, I will do everything in my power to make sure Arceus does not give both of you any punishments. After all, I am the one forcing you to swear to secrecy.”_

“We’ll make sure you’re all safe,” Hikari firmly reassured.

Palkia and Swinub glanced at each other and gave it a thought.

_“I don’t have much power to help, but you have my word,”_ Swinub swore. _“I’ll keep this a secret, and Yumomi and I’ll do our best to protect you from our end too.”_

Yumomi nodded in agreement. “If there’s any trouble that arises here, make sure you send me a letter. I’ll even change and hide any evidence of your identity when I get back home.”

After much silence, Palkia finally looked up. “Perhaps _I can lend you a hand also,”_ Palkia said. _“I am a being who controls space, and I did play a role in sealing Giratina long ago. Arceus cannot easily destroy a being like me without repercussions. If assisting you can prevent Giratina from emerging from their dimension once more, I will do whatever I can to help you.”_

“Are you sure, Palkia?” Kengo asked.

Palkia turned to Kengo. _“Only if you’re willing to let me, Kengo.”_

“I’m sure they would appreciate it.” Kengo looked up at Hikari and Cresselia. “We’re in. We’ll help whenever you need it.”

Hikari felt like she was going to tear up. “Thank you. Thank you, all of you. I really appreciate you all helping me out like this.”

“Wait, doesn’t Jun (Barry) also attend this academy? Will you tell him too?”

Hikari cleared her throat. “Um, about that…” She was twiddling her thumbs. “His Majesty gave me a special request. He said that he wants me to be on Jun’s team…”

Yumomi and Kengo exchanged looks. “That’s a good thing, isn’t it? You can tell him, and your allies will increase!”

“There’s… a downside to it.” Hikari took a deep breath. “Jun is on the same team as His Majesty’s younger brother, Prince Shinji (Paul)…”

“What?!” they screamed, attracting the attention of a few surrounding students. They laughed nervously and played it off as a joke.

“Why didn’t you reject his request?!” Yumomi hissed.

“I-I couldn’t!” Hikari sighed, combing her fingers through her hair. “He said His Highness needs Cresselia’s power, and there’s no other way to arrange this. I couldn’t say no to him asking me so sincerely.”

Kengo shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of nose. “Great… Just great…” He remained silent for a moment. “I’m sure Jun will protect you. I trust him to keep you from His Highness’ suspicions.”

“I hope so… I wouldn’t put it past His Highness if he found out in the first meeting…”

 

* * *

 

After being dismissed from dinner, Hikari left to find her room after exchanging a few words with other first-years who recognized her surname. She wanted to figure out what the sleeping arrangements would be like, and she wanted to talk to Jun as soon as she could. She was given a scroll that stated her information, teammates, and where her housing will be.

Several buildings looked different depending which master was teaching classes there. Training grounds were scattered throughout the campus, while the main training ground was in the center of the campus. Their meals were prepared in the dining hall, where all students were called and ate together. Students stayed in a dormitory with two other students in a large room with assigned closet space and one bathroom.

Hikari stood in front of her designated room, her hand hovering over the handle of the door. She took a deep breath and slid the door open. No one was in the room. She sighed in relief.

“Hikari?”

She jumped in surprise, wheeling around to see Jun at the end of the hall. “Jun!”

He rushed over to Hikari and gave her a high-five. “I haven’t seen you since I got admitted here last year! Did you get admitted?”

“Y-yeah, I did! It’s just…” Hikari looked around and grabbed Jun’s wrist. “I need to tell you something.” She pulled him closer to her level. “I was admitted as a student here… and as your teammate…”

Jun’s eyes widened and stared at her. “You what?!” His head whipped around to see if anyone was near. “Are you crazy?! What are you going to do if you get caught?!” he hissed under his breath.

“Jun, wait. You know I told you, Kengo, and Yumomi about the key my father left me, don’t you?”

“… Don’t tell me it’s in this village.”

Hikari frowned. “You weren’t back home when I discovered where its location was…” She revealed Cresselia, who was hiding under her shirt. “Cresselia knew this and was the only one who was willing to help me. Kengo and Yumomi and their partners already swore to secrecy and help us, too.”

“Shit.” Jun pulled away and ran his fingers through his hair. “You serious?”

_“If the key to saving the world from Giratina’s wrath is in this village, I will use all my power to keep Hikari from harm. All we ask is that you and your partner also swear to secrecy. Whether you want to help us or not, we will leave that up to you. But we want to at least know that you will be our ally,”_ Cresselia said.

“Wait, wait, wait. Come on out, Dialga. You heard them.” A palm-sized Dialga appeared in Jun’s hand. “This is my partner. Dialga, I’m sure you listened to our conversation. I’m leaving it up to you.”

Dialga lowered his head for a moment, pondering about Hikari’s plan. _“Had I known I’d be going against my creator, I would have refused and let him know immediately.”_ He huffed. _“But Palkia has already informed me about your situation, as your friend, Kengo, is their partner. If Palkia has decided to lend their power, I shall follow suit.”_

“Hold up, Kengo partnered up with Palkia? That’s fucking amazing!” Jun exclaimed. “Who would’ve thought my best friend would get Dialga’s counterpart?”

“You wouldn’t believe and look on Yumomi’s and my face. It’s no wonder we didn’t recognize his outfit.”

Jun was hesitating. “You know who our other teammate is going to be, don’t you?”

“Unfortunately so…”

“And you’re still willing to go through with this plan, despite being in the same room as the prodigy of the royal family?” Jun raised a brow. “Shinji is my best friend. I can’t lie to him for long.”

For a moment, Hikari had second thoughts. Jun was also her best friend, so she could understand that you can’t keep lying to your best friend. If His Highness found out her identity, Jun would have to come out. She pursed her lips. “I forced you to swear to secrecy. If he finds out and asks you, you can tell him. I’ll take all the responsibility.”

Jun shrugged. “Alright, I’m in. But I’m keeping an eye on you. The moment I see that you’re going to be in danger, I’m kidnapping you.”

Hikari snorted. “You won’t have to. I’ve already gone through every scenario possible and made plans.”

“Can’t blame me for trying!”

The two laughed, sharing a conversation and a few jokes until someone stepped towards them from the shadows. Hikari recognized him immediately and suddenly felt doom at the pit of her stomach.

“Hey, dude! So, uh, this is…” Jun quickly looked at Hikari, realizing that he didn’t know what name she’d go by.

“Oh! My name is Hikaru.” She bowed. “I have been assigned to be your and Jun’s teammate.” Her heart was pounding against her chest. “Pleased to meet you, Your Highness.”

Shinji was eyeing her up and down. His eyes then landed on Cresselia, who was nestled under her hair. He narrowed his eyes. “Did my brother put you up to this?”

“P-pardon?”

“You’re with Cresselia, aren’t you?”

“Uh, y-yes, I am. His Majesty had specifically requested me to be your last teammate to be of assistance to you.” Her eyes darted back to Jun and then to Shinji. “He told me you were suffering… repercussions?”

The prince scowled covered his face with one hand. “How many times do I have to tell him I don’t need any help?” He slid his hand down his face and glanced at Hikari. “I don’t need your “assistance”, so I would appreciate it if you can go back to my brother—”

Suddenly, a shadow took form on Shinji’s shoulder. _“Well, well, well, so you_ did _form a contract with someone, Cresselia.”_ Darkrai appeared, approaching Cresselia. _“I’m surprised you didn’t outright reject her, Aikawa.”_

_“Darkrai, hold your tongue for once, will you?”_ Cresselia hissed. _“I told you this child is who I was looking for.”_

Darkrai shrugged. _“I know you did. I’m just expressing my surprise that he accepted. Did she force you to go into the contract with her? I know Cresselia can be rather… indecisive at times, so she believes being insistent will help her decide.”_

_“What did you say?!”_ Cresselia flew out of Hikari’s hair and attempted to headbutt Darkrai.

The two started to fight on the side, while Dialga tried to help calm them down. It didn’t work, but Dialga kept trying anyways. It was more humorous, since they were all the size of their hands.

“Shinji,” Jun called, placing his hand on Shinji’s shoulder, “what if your brother’s right? You’ve been having nightmares more than usual lately.”

“I’ve been dealing with this since I was ten. It’s nothing new,” Shinji insisted.

“You realize just a few days ago you had a _night terror_ ,” Jun argued. “I have never seen you wake up like that throughout the year. You need Cresselia’s help, Shinji. You know that.”

Shinji was silent. It seemed like he still wasn’t satisfied with the way things were going. “Fine. But even if I did get Cresselia’s help, what am I going to do with… him?” He gestured to Hikari. “This guy isn’t even in the same year as us.” He turned to Hikari, who was listening with a sour face. “What’s your surname?”

“For your information, I learned as much I could from the best there is. My name is Aikawa Hikaru, the son of Aikawa Katsumi.”

There was a pause.

“You’re… his son? I didn’t know he had a son.” Only now did Shinji finally notice the resemblance between her and her father.

Hikari bit the inside of her cheek, forcing a smile. “Everyone else seemed to have a similar reaction. His Majesty even talked to my mother for proof.”

“Is that so?” Shinji crossed his arms. “Let me see your scroll.”

“Be my guest.” She handed him her scroll and waited as he looked through.

“You have the highest grades in every category except a few related to combat.” Shinji smirked. “Like father, like son. My brother used to tell me how much of a pacifist your father was, that he never fought unless absolutely necessary.”

Hikari raised her brows in slight surprise. “I don’t think what the problem is in that. That just means he tried to find other means of resolving a situation without resorting to threats or violence. But even so, I am still different from my father.” She locked eyes with Shinji, almost daring him to try saying something else about her father.

Shinji threw her scroll into her hands. “Your father meant a great deal to me and my family. I meant no disrespect.” He leaned against the wooden pillar of the hall. “Normally I would reject a first year being in our team, but with your exam results, a little bit of training can get you caught up with both of us.”

“Hey, does that mean…?”

“I’m going to see if he can catch up first. If I don’t see any potential, we’re dropping him.”

For a prince, Shinji was arrogantly straightforward about flaws and people. Hikari wondered how someone like him was admired greatly by many people. She sighed. “I would like to take this opportunity to say that I’m sure I can meet your expectations, _Your Highness_ ,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Don’t call me that.”

Jun nudged Hikari on the arm. “Shinji doesn’t like it when people here address him as the prince. He feels like he’s only here because of his title and not his own skills.”

Shinji shot Jun a glare. “I never said that.”

“I dunno, dude, you make it sound like that.” Jun shrugged with a half-smile. He wrapped his arms around Shinji and Hikari and dragged them into their room, taking their partners with them. He locked the door and released everyone from his grip. “C’mon guys! We gotta get along, or our teamwork won’t get anywhere!”

Hikari and Shinji stared at each other. She cracked a mischievous smile. “Would you find it more tolerable if I called you differently, _Shinji-senpai?_ ” She felt like he was going to bore a hole into her head, but she refused to budge.

“I don’t give a damn,” Shinji replied flatly.

If Shinji was going to give Hikari hell, she might as well give him hell too. “Great, _Shinji-senpai_! I’m so glad you are willing to give me a chance, _Shinji-senpai!”_ She reveled in seeing him try so hard not to mind her new way addressing him.

“So!” Jun intervened loudly. “Now that we have one more addition to our team, we should figure out the sleeping arrangements.”

“I don’t think there will be any change, other than adding one more futon in the room, _towards the door_ ,” Shinji emphasized. “I usually sleep near the wall, anyways.”

“Why, so you could brood in the dark?” Hikari muttered under her breath. That earned her an elbow nudge from Jun. “I suppose that could work out then! I’m guessing Jun will be sleeping in the middle.”

“Of course I have to!” Jun pulled his futon into the middle of the room. “If I don’t, you two will end up killing each other in your sleep. I’m not ready for that to be on my conscience for the rest of my life.” Jun pointed to the unused closet near the door. “That one is yours, and your futon should be in the bottom shelf.”

“Thanks!” Hikari opened the doors to see neatly folded clothing on the shelves. Half of them were black outfits with the royal crest on the back that Shinji and Jun were wearing. _Oh, they must be the uniforms_ , she thought. The others were a variety of other uniforms that were used for special training. A white, linen clothing was folded on top of the futon. “Are these our nightwear?”

“Yeah, they are. You can get changed in the bathroom, if you want.”

“R-right, I’ll be back.” Hikari rushed into the bathroom, her face red from the realization that she was currently in a room with two men.

Shinji watched her run into the bathroom, clutching her nightwear close to her. He raised a brow and looked at Jun. “So you’re best friends with this guy? He’s a little weird.”

“I heard that!” Hikari shouted from behind the door.

Jun laughed. “Yeah, we’re childhood friends. He and I used to go through his dad’s study and look at all the books and scrolls he’s collected over the years. Some are incredibly old though. I’m surprised he was able to find some of the stuff he has.”

“You know, you don’t have to change in the bathroom. It’s not like I care.”

Hikari’s heart leapt to her throat. “Uh… Well…”

“That’s because…!” Jun shouted over her. “Because he has… a scar! Yeah, it’s a really nasty scar on his back from back when we were teens! He doesn’t like showing it because it reminds him of his stupidity.”

Eyes rolled at how Jun was trying to make her sound ridiculous. Two can play at that game. “Listen, I tried to stop you from jumping down the waterfall. But you didn’t listen to me. And because of your recklessness, I got this _battle scar_ trying to save you.”

Shinji wasn’t buying this. At all. “I know both of you are lying. But I’m not going to stop you from trying to top each other with this story you’re making up.”

“Joke’s on you, the waterfall story is real,” Jun smoothly said. “But Hikaru doesn’t have a scar on his back. Just extremely self-conscious.”

“Way to make me sound like a wuss, Jun.”

Jun shrugged with a smirk. “Eh.”

 

Late in the night, Hikari woke up to someone shaking her. She got up with a surprise, seeing Jun desperately shake her.

“Hikari, help me. Shinji’s having a nightmare again…!” Jun pointed to Shinji, who was writhing in his sleep as black shadows seemed to seep out of him. “It’s no ordinary nightmare either. Please. You have to wake him up somehow.”

_“Can you not wake him up on your own?”_ Cresselia asked.

“No, I can’t. I’ve tried, but he’s ended up attacking me or hurting himself a few times.”

Cresselia took a few seconds to think, staring at Hikari’s hair. Her eyes lit up. _“Hikari, I have an idea. I want you to pluck a hair strand and wrap it around his wrist when you transform, okay?”_ Cresselia stared at Shinji worriedly. _“I feel like Darkrai is also in pain. You must be careful not to get hurt too.”_

Nodding, Hikari immediately kicked her covers and got up. “I’ll give it a shot.”

When Hikari changed into her Cresselia form, she plucked a hair strand and approached Shinji as silently as she could. She tried to reach out to Shinji’s hand to tie the strand around his wrist. But the moment her hand touched his skin, Shinji suddenly leapt up and scrambled to the back of the room, against the wall.

“Shinji-senpai, it’s me,” she quietly said. “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to help.”

But he couldn’t hear her. It’s like he was searching for something to hide in… or hide from.

“Senpai, it’s me, Hikaru.” She took another step towards him.

Shinji pointed the palms of his hands at Hikari, a black orb forming inside. “Dark Void,” he growled.

Jun panicked. “Get down!” He grabbed Hikari and dived onto the floor. The black orb completely missed them and phased through the door, but Shinji was getting ready to shoot another one. “I’ll grab him, and you tie the strand on him!” He lunged at Shinji to restrict his movements, holding his hands apart. “Now! Do it now!”

Hikari quickly tied the strand to Shinji’s wrist, but nothing happened. Shinji was still writhing, and shadows seemed to seep out of him in greater amounts. She felt like her life energy was being drained. Was it because his powers were dark-type? Then she had to do this quickly, or she might lose her life. But she didn’t know what to do.

“Why isn’t this working?!” Hikari cried. “I thought…!” She noticed something was off. The hair strand was still blue. Cresselia’s power was a gold color. But, how could she put Cresselia’s power into the strand? She clasped her hands around Shinji’s wrist and shut her eyes, concentrating her power into the strand. _Please work!_

“Whoa…”

From inside, a golden light was shining through her fingers. As if she knew what to say, Hikari was reciting a spell under her breath, her eyes glowing pink. The light absorbed the shadows and rid Shinji of his nightmare. He immediately relaxed and slumped against Hikari. Darkrai came out from within Shinji’s chest, unconscious.

Dialga caught Darkrai on their back and carried him to the floor, while Cresselia helped them put Darkrai in a more comfortable position.

Hikari sighed in relief, shutting her eyes tightly. Her hair strand around Shinji’s wrist was now glowing a golden color, absorbing any shadows from Shinji’s body.

“I thought I was gonna have a heart attack…” Hikari said in breaths. “I hope we didn’t wake anyone up.”

Shaking off his shock, Jun relaxed. “No, we should be fine. The rooms here have talismans placed to make sure other people don’t hear any noise from the next room, unless the door’s opened.” He leaned back against his hands, exhausted. “How did you…?”

“Ugh… my head…” Shinji muttered, lifting his head slowly. He saw Jun’s worried gaze and knew. “Did it happen again?”

“Almost. Hikaru managed to stop you.”

He set his head back down and looked up to see Hikari looking relieved. “Thank goodness you’re okay! How are you feeling?”

Shinji immediately sat up. “Not in terror, at least.” He noticed the glowing strand around his wrist. He touched it gently, not wanting to unravel it. It was strange. He felt something in the back of his mind when he gazed at the golden color. “… Thanks.”

Picking up Darkrai into her hands, Hikari pursed her lips. “Now I can see why His Majesty asked me for help.” She noticed Shinji averting his gaze when her eyes tried to meet his. “Has this always happened?”

“Yes.”

She tried to push it a little more. “How does this happen? I would think this could happen because of a contract with a legendary Pokémon, but Jun hasn’t suffered any, from what I’ve heard.”

“You don’t need to know that.” Shinji leaned his head against his hand. “I should be fine with this,” he said, waving his wrist with the hair strand, “so both of you go back to sleep.” He stood up and staggered towards the bathroom.

Sounds of rushing water and cricketing filled the silence. Jun shook his head and gestured at Hikari to go back to sleep. It didn’t seem like Shinji would talk any further. Hikari decided to stop there and returned to her futon, taking Darkrai with her to leave him in Cresselia’s care.

Darkrai and Shinji were gone the next morning.

 

* * *

 

“Mama!” Hikari walked past the academy entrance to Ayako, who was holding Piplup and a sack in her hands. “What brings you here?”

“How’s everything so far, honey?” Ayako let Piplup jump into Hikari’s arms.

_“They’re not bullying you or suspecting you of anything, right?”_ Piplup asked. _“I’m gonna kill anyone who mistreats you in there!”_

Hikari giggled. “No, I’m not being mistreated, Piplup.” She gave him a pat on the head. “Everything’s fine, mama. Jun’s in my team, and he’s been making sure I don’t do anything stupid.”

Ayako smiled. “My, I didn’t think you’d end up being in Jun’s team. He’s a year older than you, isn’t he?”

“He is, but…” Hikari hesitated for a moment. “I’m in his team because of special circumstances. You see…”

“Oh, no way! Ayako-san!” Jun suddenly ran up behind Hikari with a big grin. “How have you been? I haven’t seen you since last year!”

“I’ve been doing well, Jun. I’m glad you’re doing well also!” She handed Hikari the sack she was holding. “I wanted to drop off some things I found in your father’s study while cleaning.” Her eyes darted to Jun. “I’m… sure Jun knows the situation, right? What about your other teammate?”

Jun and Hikari exchanged looks. “Jun does, but… about that…”

“Hello, ma’am.”

“Oh my!” Ayako gasped, stepping back and covering her mouth.

Shinji had stepped into their conversation and bowed to Hikari’s mom. “It’s nice to meet you, Aikawa-san. I heard about your husband’s passing from my brother. My condolences.” He glanced at Jun and Hikari and then back to Ayako. “Your son has been placed in my team because my brother seems to have given him a special request regarding my well-being.”

Slowly nodding, Ayako gently took the shocked Piplup and put the other sack in Hikari’s arms. “Oh dear, I hope you’re well, Your Highness. But I trust that he’s in good hands?”

Shinji gave her an uncharacteristically, princely smile. “Of course. He’s already proven to be able to fulfill my brother’s request, and I have no doubts that his skills will become as great as Aikawa-sama.” He placed a firm hand on Hikari’s shoulder. “Jun and I’ll make sure to train him well.”

Blush adorned Ayako’s cheeks. “My, I’m more than happy to know that you’ll be mentoring him. I do hope he won’t be much trouble to you.”

“Mama…” Hikari mumbled, nudging her mother.

Ayako gave her a playful smile. “Do you three have somewhere you need to be?”

“Not really! We just came out because Hikaru received a notice that you were here,” Jun said. “Would you like me to give you a tour around the village, Ayako-san?”

“That would be very nice! I’ve always wanted to tour this village!”

“Well then, let’s go! I’ll even treat you to Tobari’s famous restaurant!” Jun started going down the main road with Ayako, showing her the nearby shops.

Once Jun and Ayako were out of earshot, Hikari quickly shuffled away from Shinji. “God, I still have goosebumps from seeing you smile like that.” She pulled back her sleeve and rubbed at her skin. “I didn’t even think you were capable of smiling.”

Shinji shrugged with his usual scowl. “I’m still a prince, you know.”

Hikari narrowed her eyes. “And I thought you said you were gonna test me before I’m in your team, no? Sounds suspicious.”

At that, Shinji crossed his arms. “I’ve been thinking about what you did a few nights ago. What you did wasn’t something any first-year could do.” He stared at Hikari. “Not only did you manage to concentrate your power into a little hair strand, this little bracelet still hasn’t lost its power yet. All without instructions.”

“Have you been feeling okay since then?”

“Cresselia’s power is effective. I haven’t had any nightmares since then.” Shinji looked at the hair strand again and stayed silent for a moment. “My point is that I’ve decided to accept you into my team.” He paused, shifting his weight to his other leg. “You have potential in your strength and power, and that can be brought out with some training.”

“Really? You really think so?”

“After I’ve told your mother that I’ll be training you, I can’t go back on my word now.”

Hikari’s eyes deadpanned, and she hit his arm. “Haha, very funny.”

“We should catch up with Jun and your mother. It wouldn’t be polite of me not to escort her also.”

“Are you always like this when you’re around other people?”

There was no answer.

With a snort, Hikari went to catch up to her mother with Shinji following behind her. Next week was the opening ceremony of the newly admitted first-year students. Hikari could only look forward to her challenges and finding that key her father hid. She just hoped to succeed her mission without any problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! It's hard to balance art projects and fanfics when I have tunnel vision with these things lol. Enjoy! :)


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